News


SFL Supports PD Opportunities Across the Mid-Atlantic

Early Childhood Education Professionals Convene for National Conference

The Source for Learning’s Early Childhood Education’s (SFL ECE) thought leaders are engaged in a series of early childhood education events this fall.

  • SFL ECE is sponsoring and exhibiting at the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) annual conference in Washington, DC, November 16-19, 2022. Thousands of early childhood education professionals are expected to attend the 4-day professional learning conference, which includes a presentation by SFL’s Early Childhood Education Manager Amy Josephson.
  • Regionally, SFL ECE is participating in the Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children’s (VAAEYC) Apple Valley Chapter event (formerly the Lord Fairfax Chapter) and is joining the District of Columbia Association for the Education of Young Children (DCAEYC) in sponsoring the DC Early Childhood Expo in Washington, D.C. in early December.

 

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education Initiatives

The Source for Learning


SFL's K12 Director Presents at Educational Coaches Conference

ISTE Affiliates Co-host Two-Day Professional Development Event

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Director of K-12 Initiatives, Ruth Okoye, EdD, has been invited to present at the Illinois Digital Educators Alliance’s (IDEA) Conference for Educational Coaches on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, at 2 PM CT. Dr. Okoye’s presentation, “Living the Dream with the ISTE Standards for Coaches” will be live streamed.

IDEA, the Illinois state affiliate of the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE), is partnering with the Texas ISTE affiliate, the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA), to make this two-day hybrid conference available to educators who provide professional development and/or coaching and support to other educators.

The Source for Learning, on behalf of TeachersFirst, is a proud 2022-2023 IDEA Bronze Partner.


SFL Presents at Virtual Virginia Regional Meeting

TeachersFirst Thought Leaders Invited to Present at Virginia DOE Event

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Director of K-12 Initiatives, Ruth Okoye, EdD, and K-12 Educational Content Manager, Melissa Henning, will present at Virtual Virginia’s Regional Monthly LMS Meeting on Tuesday, September 27, 2022, at 3:00 PM ET. All division technology leadership, ITRT teams, and VSTE members are welcome to attend via Zoom.

Dr. Okoye and Ms. Henning will give a guided tour of TeachersFirst, a collection of free, teacher-reviewed, classroom-ready resources and professional learning offerings focused on edtech integration.

No registration is necessary—log on to Zoom to join.

For More Information:

TeachersFirst

The Source for Learning


SFL’s Senior Director of Early Childhood Education Initiatives Earns DLL Certification

Dual Language Learners Certification

The Source for Learning’s Senior Director of Early Childhood Education Initiatives (ECEI), Kamna Seth, recently earned a Supporting Dual Language Learners Certificate from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

“This excellent certificate program has offered me incredible resources and expanded my knowledge base about supporting dual language learners in early childhood settings,” said Ms. Seth.

 

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education Initiatives

The Source for Learning


SFL’s K12 Director Named to VSLA Board of Directors

Virginia State Literacy Association Announces New Board Members

The Source for Learning’s Director of K12 Initiatives, Dr. Ruth Okoye, has been elected to the Virginia State Literacy Association’s (VSLA) Board of Directors (formerly the Virginia State Readers Association, VSRA).

“It’s wonderful to be active in the state literacy association again. I’m able to put the skills I’ve learned over the last 10 years to work for an organization that is so near to my heart,” said Dr. Okoye when her appointment was announced. Previously, Dr. Okoye served four years as the Technology and Reading co-chair for VSLA, from 2005-2009.

 

For More Information:

TeachersFirst

Source for Learning


SFL’s Educational Broadband Initiative Celebrates 10 Years of Service

The Source for Learning and the Florida Council of Independent Schools Mark Milestone

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) educational broadband initiative, SFL Broadband, is a free hotspot loan program that provides high-speed mobile wireless internet access to schools and districts located in 19 communities across the U.S.

The Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS), headquartered in Tampa, Florida, (one of SFL’s communities of interest), has been an active and dedicated participant in this program for more than 10 years. Dr. Barbara Hodges, Executive Director of FCIS, shared her organization’s experience participating in the program:

"FCIS . . . has had the privilege of being a part of the SFL Broadband hotspot loan program for the past 10 years. . . . The hotspots have allowed staff to be available while traveling by car; [kept] communication confidential, even in the busy Tampa International airport; [kept] staff accessible even in office internet outages; and [provided] internet when holding professional development meetings. . . . We are so appreciative of the benefits and opportunities that have been afforded to our educational staff and our schools by the hotspot loan program."

The Source for Learning is a 2021-2022 FCIS Gold Level Sponsor.

For More Information:

SFL Broadband

The Source for Learning


SFL Broadband Featured in Inseego Case Study

SFL Supports Thousands of Students and Families Throughout COVID-19 Pandemic

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) educational broadband service offering, SFL Broadband, was recently chosen to participate in Inseego’s case study initiative.

To help foster equity in learning for children, SFL offers free wireless internet – via Inseego MiFi® 8000 hotspots – to qualified students and educators in 19 communities across the U.S.

For More Information:

SFL Broadband / Inseego Case Study

The Source for Learning


SFL Offers Virginia Educators Affordable Professional Advancement Opportunities

Program Recognized by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting financial distress it has caused for so many educators, The Source for Learning (SFL) has waived fees for the application and two of the required courses for all in-state students enrolling in its Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Credential, VA-ECAP. Students are financially responsible for two required Virginia community college courses.

“As a largely unrecognized profession, early childhood educators are already underpaid. The pandemic has left many of them at a further disadvantage,” said Kamna Seth, Senior Director of SFL’s early childhood education program (ECE). Waiving our fees for the foreseeable future will make SFL’s quality professional learning opportunities available to more educators in Virginia.”

SFL’s complimentary ECE resources include:

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education

The Source for Learning


SFL’s Twitter Chats Recognized by Leading K-12 EdTech Nonprofit

TeachersFirst’ Professional Learning Offering

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) regularly features The Source for Learning’s (SFL) OK2Ask twitter chats - @SFLOK2Ask.

#OK2Ask, a service offering of TeachersFirst, was recently listed in ISTE’s 44 Education Twitter Chats Worth Your Time blog posting.

For More Information:

OK2Ask Twitter Chats

OK2Ask Virtual Workshops for Professional Learning (Edtech PD and otherwise)

TeachersFirst

The Source for Learning


Spring 2021 Webinar Series Addresses Racism & Diversity Issues in Education

SFL Continues Its Commitment to Bring Important Issues to the Table

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Early Childhood Education Division (ECE) begins its sixth year of professional learning webinars with a new series, “What’s the Difference? Culturally Responsive Teaching & Learning in Early Childhood Education,” commencing Tuesday, March 16, 2021.

Featuring four webinars and a panel discussion, this new—and free—series introduces expert perspectives on racism and discrimination and their impact on mental health, language, family engagement, and children’s literature, each wrapped with practical strategies for classroom implementation.

Educators who attend a webinar in its entirety (live or on-demand) will receive a professional learning certificate they can use to track their professional development.

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education Division

The Source for Learning


SFL’s Early Childhood Education Webinar Series Celebrates Five-Year Milestone

Continuing to Experience Unprecedented Demand in Archived Recordings

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Early Childhood Education Division (ECE) has awarded more than 10,000 professional learning certificates to early childhood educators who reviewed on-demand webinar recordings since June 2021 when the new offering was first announced.

This milestone culminated in ECE’s fifth anniversary of providing thousands of early childhood educators with quality, free, professional learning webinars.

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education Division

The Source for Learning


SFL Leads the Way in Helping Early Childhood Educators Adopt Proven Strategies for Online Learning

COVID-19 Pandemic Creates Unique Challenges for Young Learners

The Source for Learning, Inc. (SFL) continues to facilitate solutions to address the unprecedented challenges and gaps educators are encountering during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The present hybrid learning environment many early childhood educators now manage requires them to embrace new understandings and innovative strategies to best engage their young learners over long periods.

To help educators maximize learning and keep students engaged, SFL’s early childhood education division (ECEI) is hosting a special event on November 10, 2020, featuring nationally acclaimed author, speaker, and ECE consultant Rae Pica. Ms. Pica’s presentation, “Active Learning in the Time of COVID-19,” not only presents the rationale for active learning but also provides strategies and practical ideas for integrating active learning experiences across the curriculum for young children.

For Further Information:

ECE Webinar Schedule

SFL Early Childhood Education Division

The Source for Learning


SFL Fills Timely Professional Learning Gaps to Support Teacher Success

Nonprofit’s Veteran K-12 Educators and Coaches Offer Their Expertise

The Source for Learning, Inc. (SFL) is delivering an array of new professional learning experiences to address the unique challenges that K-12 educators are facing, in conjunction with the current hybrid learning environment, throughout the U.S. and beyond.

TeachersFirst® is hosting three new virtual book clubs (organized by grade levels) designed to help educators use literature to start meaningful discussions about equality and race. Participants will learn how to turn students’ interest in stories into thought-provoking discussions about justice, race, class, friendship, and inclusion.

TeachersFirst’s online professional learning series, OK2Ask®, is offering a special 4-session series on Microsoft Teams designed to support educators’ adoption efforts. This is a new, supplemental offering to SFL’s year-round professional learning and edtech PD schedule. SFL is a Microsoft Global Training Partner.

To-date, SFL has hosted more than 300 highly participatory virtual workshops for K-12 educators—classroom teachers, librarians, and instructional technologists, alike. “SFL has been delivering quality, professional learning for 12 years,” says Dr. Ruth Okoye, Director of K-12 Initiatives. “And what you learn in one of our virtual workshops today, you can start integrating into your classroom tomorrow.”

For More Information:

The Source for Learning


SFL Garners District-Level Interest in Supporting Student Success

SFL Broadband Steps Up to Serve 10 School Districts Across America

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting increase in remote and hybrid learning environments have generated unprecedented interest from school districts in participating in The Source for Learning, Inc.’s (SFL) educational broadband services initiative, SFL Broadband.

SFL Broadband is currently offering free mobile broadband internet access and SFL hotspots to hundreds of underserved students and educators. Current 2020–2021 education partners include 10 districts and 4 individual schools from a national network of high schools whose mission, like SFL’s, is to support underserved students.

As an education nonprofit, SFL is committed to addressing the ongoing issues of digital equity, the homework gap, and remote learning challenges in its broadband service areas.

For More Information:

The Source for Learning


SFL Launches New Version of MySciLife

A Free Distance Learning Tool for Science Teachers & Their Students

The Source for Learning, Inc. (SFL) is excited to introduce its newest version of MySciLife®, a free, educational social media platform that enables enriched learning and engagement for middle-level science students. With many districts adopting remote, hybrid, blended, or flipped learning for the fall, MySciLife provides a learning environment designed to foster community and student engagement.

Teachers can enrich their curriculum with fully customizable NGSS-aligned1 modules covering middle-level science’s most popular topics. Students design identities based on science concepts, conduct research to build their profiles, and learn from each other as they personify their identities in posts, comments, and responses. The platform is COPPA-compliant2 and password-protected, ensuring a safe learning environment for students and teachers.

1 Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
2 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA)

For More Information:

MySciLife

The Source for Learning


SFL Announces New Hires


The Source for Learning, Inc. (SFL), an education nonprofit that creates and delivers high-quality, technology-based content and services, is proud to announce several recent hires.

In March and April, SFL welcomed Judit Slezak, Managing Director, Marketing & Business Development; Michelle Webber, Content Manager; and John Lowry, Digital Media Coordinator to the marketing team. These individuals add to SFL’s wide array of talents positioned to grow SFL’s brands and digital presence.

In July, Mari Blaustein joined SFL’s Early Childhood Education program as Education Specialist, to support the development of new products and services within our expanding ECE portfolio.

For More Information:

Staff Bios

The Source for Learning


SFL Expands Professional Learning Opportunities for Early Childhood Educators

Certificates Now Available for Archived Webinars

The Source for Learning, Inc. (SFL) recently announced that early childhood educators (ECE) can now receive professional learning certificates by viewing the education nonprofit’s archived early childhood education webinars in addition to attending live sessions.

“SFL is committed to helping early childhood educators pursue their personal professional learning goals and to giving them the tools they need to succeed,” says Kamna Seth, Senior Director of Early Childhood Education at SFL. “This new service offering demonstrates that ongoing commitment.”

For More Information:

Webinar Archives

Early Childhood Education (ECE) at SFL

The Source for Learning


SFL Announces Spring 2020 Professional Learning Schedule

K12 Educators Earn PD Credits Online

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K-12 program launches its Spring 2020 education technology professional development (edtech PD) workshop series, OK2Ask®, on Tuesday, March 31st. Learn about trending topics while honing your technology skills. This spring’s schedule features nine (9) live, highly participatory, and virtual professional learning webinars. Participate alongside SFL’s edtech coaches as you earn PD credit online.

Other SFL professional learning opportunities also available include:

For More Information:

The Source for Learning

OK2Ask


SFL Helps Students with Remote Learning Challenges Connect

SFL Broadband Offers Hotspots to Students During COVID-19 Pandemic

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting school closings across the United States, The Source for Learning, Inc. (SFL) is offering free, mobile broadband internet access to students to address the ongoing homework gap and remote learning challenges.

K-12 students who don’t have reliable internet access at home to do their homework, submit assignments to their teachers, or attend remote learning sessions can now fully participate with their classmates.

SFL has deployed hundreds of SFL hotspots to new groups of underserved students while offering additional inventory to schools and districts currently participating in SFL Broadband, an educational broadband services initiative that supports underserved students, teachers, schools, and communities.

For More Information:

The Source for Learning


Free, Live Professional Learning Webinars for Early Childhood Educators

Spring 2020 Schedule Announced

The Source for Learning (SFL) recently announced its Spring 2020 Professional Learning Webinar Series for early childhood educators.

The four-session series starts on Tuesday, March 17th and concludes on Thursday, June 4th. A detailed synopsis and objectives of each webinar are available online. Archives of past sessions are also available.

“Our complimentary, live and on-demand, webinars deliver high-quality, trending content to busy ECE professionals, directly on their devices,” said Kamna Seth, Senior Director, Early Childhood Education Initiatives, at SFL. “Attendees earn Certificates of Attendance for attending live sessions, giving ECE educators the opportunity to pursue their own personal professional learning goals while saving time and money.”

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education Division

The Source for Learning


SFL’s Early Childhood Education Leadership Team Traverses State to Support Virginia’s Early Childhood Education Community

Connect with Us at VAAEYC Conference in Richmond

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Early Childhood Education Division will welcome more than 1,000 Early Childhood Educators from throughout Virginia at the Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children’s (VAAEYC) Annual Conference, March 5-7, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Virginia. SFL is a proud sponsor, exhibitor, and presenter at this year’s three-day conference.

Other upcoming Virginia professional development events being sponsored by SFL’s Early Childhood Education Division include:

  • Leap into Quality conference at the Lord Fairfax Community College in Middletown, Virginia (February 29)
  • Smart Beginnings for Tomorrow’s Workforce breakfast event at George Mason University’s Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas, Virginia. (March 23)
  • Virginia Cross Sector Professional Development Team (VCPD) Northern Region Summit at George Mason University’s Science & Technology Campus in Manassas, Virginia (April 30)

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education Division

The Source for Learning


Connect with Us at Upcoming Edtech Conferences

SFL’s K12 Team Kicks Off 2020 Schedule

The Source for Learning’s K12 team will be presenting at numerous education technology conferences throughout winter 2020 to include:

  • Future of Education Technology (FETC) – January 14-17, 2020 in Miami, Florida
  • Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) – February 3-7, 2020 in Austin, Texas
  • Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo & Conference (PETE&C) – February 23-26, 2020 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

TCEA and PETE&C are two state affiliate organizations of the International Society for Technology in Education.

For More Information:

The Source for Learning

TeachersFirst

OK2Ask

MySciLife


SFL Announces Winter 2020 Professional Learning Schedule

Edtech PD, Twitter Chats, Book Study, Blog, and More!

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K-12 program kicks off its Winter 2020 education technology professional development (edtech PD) workshop series, OK2Ask®, on Tuesday, January 21st. Learn about trending topics while honing your technology skills. The three-month schedule features six (6) live, highly participatory, virtual professional learning webinars. Participate alongside SFL’s edtech coaches as you earn PD credit online.

“I like that I was given time to practice with resources and activities provided. If I had not experimented with them, I may not have gone back to use them. But now I am interested and have an activity that I can share with the teachers I support.”
– Fall 2019 Attendee

Other SFL professional learning opportunities currently underway include:

For More Information:

The Source for Learning

OK2Ask


SFL’s Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Professional Credential

Spring 2020 Semester Begins January 13, 2020

Enrollment is currently underway for The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Professional Credential’s (VA-ECAP) spring 2020 semester.

Recognized by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), VA-ECAP is a joint offering with the Northern Virginia Community College’s NOVA Workforce. It is also the state’s first and only administrator credentialing program for early childhood professionals.

Enrolling in VA-ECAP enables students to:

  • Meet NAEYC Accreditation Operational Administrator Qualifications Requirement
  • Comply with the state of Virginia Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals
  • Satisfy Virginia Child Care Center Licensing Management Training Requirement

Students who complete the program earn:

Registration is open through January 6, 2020; learn more here.

For More Information:

VA-ECAP Overview

Important Dates & Deadlines

Apply

The Source for Learning


SFL Exhibits at Annual Technology in Education Conference

VSTE Members Convene in Roanoke, Virginia

The Source for Learning (SFL) is exhibiting at the Virginia Society for Technology in Education’s (VSTE) 2019 annual conference, December 8-10, 2019, at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center. SFL, a member of VSTE’s Corporate Council, will be exhibiting and presenting at the three-day education technology conference.

In partnership with VSTE, SFL’s K12 Division will also facilitate a no/low-cost makerspace in-a-box session that doubles as an equity solution for teachers facing implementation challenges back in their classrooms. Using everyday items, teachers will actively participate and learn how to create engaging – and successful – makerspace activities. “Given that SFL’s mission is to serve un/underserved educators, students, and schools, it’s a great opportunity for us to reach – and serve - local communities throughout our home state of Virginia,” said Dr. Ruth Okoye, K-12 Director.

For More Information:

TeachersFirst

OK2Ask

MySciLife

The Source for Learning


SFL Set to Exhibit at Annual Early Childhood Education Conference

Thousands of Educators from Across the Globe Converge on Nashville

The Source for Learning (SFL) is exhibiting at the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) 2019 Annual NAEYC Conference being held at the Music City Center in Nashville, TN, on November 20-23, 2019. 

The NAEYC Annual Conference is the largest early childhood education conference in the world, drawing thousands of teachers, program administrators, students, and researchers.

Visit SFL’s Early Childhood Education team at Booth #1317.

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education Division

The Source for Learning


SFL’s Early Childhood Education Division Participates in TXAEYC Conference


The Source for Learning’s Early Childhood Education Division will present and exhibit at the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children’s (TXAEYC) Annual Conference on September 26-28, 2019 at the Frisco Convention Center and Embassy Suites-Dallas/Frisco in Frisco, Texas.  

The conference draws more than a thousand early childhood education teachers, program directors/owners, higher education faculty, students, trainers, and advocates from across the state.

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education Division

The Source for Learning


Free, Live Professional Learning Webinars for Early Childhood Educators

Fall 2019 Schedule Announced

The Source for Learning (SFL) is proud to announce its Fall 2019 Professional Learning Webinar Series for early childhood educators. 

The four-session series kicks off on Thursday, September 19th and concludes on Tuesday, December 10th. A detailed synopsis and objectives of each webinar are available online. Archives of past sessions are also available.

Recent participants’ experiences include: 

“Thank you so much for this webinar; I was very impressed with the speakers.
I learned so much information that I will use in my program.”
—Teacher from Kansas
“Loved the resources. THANKS, THANKS, THANKS!”
—Trainer/Consultant from Texas

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education Division

The Source for Learning


SFL Launches Fall K-12 Professional Learning Opportunities

Free Edtech PD Workshops & Twitter Chats

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K-12 program announced its complimentary Fall 2019 professional learning workshop series, OK2Ask. The nine-session lineup commences on Tuesday, September 24th with Digital Storytelling 101.  Learn about trending topics while enhancing your edtech expertise. This three-month schedule features highly participatory, virtual professional learning workshops. Participate alongside SFL’s edtech coaches as you earn PD credit online. Sessions are held on Tuesday evenings through November 26, 2019 on a first-come, first-served basis.

SFL’s TeachersFirst division also hosts bi-monthly Twitter Chats @SFLOK2Ask using #OK2Ask. These “pajama-compatible” professional learning events provide an opportunity to meet fellow educators with similar interests while honing your edtech skills.  Log on today to view the fall lineup

 

For More Information:

Learn More About OK2Ask

Learn More about SFL


SFL Announces New Addition to its ECE Team

Former Head Start Director Joins SFL’s Early Childhood Education Division

The Source for Learning is pleased to announce and welcome Shereen Ali as Education Specialist for SFL’s Early Childhood Education Initiatives division (ECEI). In this role, Shereen is responsible for a variety of activities to include ECEI’s professional learning webinar service offerings and portal development.

“Shereen comes to SFL with more than 15 years of experience in the field of early childhood education. She has expertise in mentoring and training early childhood educators as well working with children and families, particularly in low-income and un/underserved communities. We are excited to have her join our team,” said Kamna Seth, Senior Director of ECEI.  

Shereen holds a Master’s Degree in Infant Toddlers Special Education from the Graduate School of Education and Human Development at The George Washington University, Washington D.C.

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education Division

The Source for Learning

 


The Source for Learning Supports Virginia’s Early Childhood Professionals

Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Professional Credential (VA-ECAP)

Registration Now Open for Fall 2019 Session

The Source for Learning (SFL), in a joint offering with the Northern Virginia Community College’s NOVA Workforce, continues to offer the state’s first and only administrator credentialing program for early childhood professionals - the Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Professional Credential (VA-ECAP).

This online credentialing program helps an administrator meet Virginia’s child care licensing management training requirements; the credential is also recognized by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

“The Financial Management and Budgeting topic in the Management course helped me look at things differently to know where we spend our money.” --CH 

“The Leadership course helped me understand how supervision and staff evaluations were closely linked in my program.” --UN 

Registration is open through August 26th; the fall semester begins on September 3, 2019.

 

For More Information:

VA-ECAP Overview

Scholarship Resources

Apply

The Source for Learning

 


SFL Staff Presented President’s Volunteer Service Award

ISTE 2019 Annual Conference in Philadelphia

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K-12 program staff, Ruth Okoye, Ed.D., K12 Director, Melissa Henning, M.Ed., Educational Content Manager, and Karen Streeter, SFL Contributor, were presented with the President’s Volunteer Service Award at the International Society for Technology in Education’s annual conference held on June 23-26, 2019, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The President’s Volunteer Service Award is an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and is administered by Points of Light. Through a shared mission of inspiring more to answer the call to service, the President's Volunteer Service Award celebrates the impact we can all make in bettering our communities and our world.

The SFL staff members were recognized as a result of their dedication and volunteer efforts over the past year to include their active participation as edtech coaches within ISTE’s professional learning network.

For More Information:

The Source for Learning


SFL Announces Summer Professional Learning Schedule

Book Study, Edtech PD, Twitter Chats and More!

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K-12 program released its 2019 Summer Edtech professional development offering featuring OK2Ask, a series of free, live, online workshops in support of enhancing technology integration and student engagement in the classroom. This virtual summer series, delivered by experienced educators and edtech coaches, provides quality hands-on discovery and practice. All OK2Ask sessions are correlated with the International Society for Technology in Education’s (ISTE) Standards for Educators. Certificates of completion are available. The first session is July 10, 2019; sign up today.

SFL’s K-12 staff also hosts a Book Study and bi-weekly Twitter Chats as part of its summer edtech professional learning offerings.

For More Information:

2019 Summer Edtech

OK2Ask

TeachersFirst

The Source for Learning


SFL Presents at Leading Edtech Conference

ISTE 2019 Annual Conference in Philadelphia

The Source for Learning’s K12 program will present nine (9) sessions at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) 2019 Conference & Expo, being held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 23-26, 2019.

As an annual partner of ISTE’s Edtech Coaches Professional Learning Network (PLN), SFL’s K12 team is hosting this year’s Edtech Coaches Playground, a highly participatory and collaborative demonstration experience for conference attendees.

For More Information:

The Source for Learning


SFL’s Director of K12 Initiatives Named to ISTE Board of Directors

International Society for Technology in Education Seats New Board

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K12 Director, Dr. Ruth Okoye, has been elected to the International Society for Technology in Education’s (ISTE) Board of Directors; she will serve a 3-year term as a member-at-large.

Dr. Okoye has over 20 years of experience using technology in the classroom and served as the Technology Resource Teacher for Elementary Language Arts in Portsmouth, Virginia. She holds several teaching endorsements, including Computer Science, Reading Specialist, and PreK-12 Administration and Supervision. Dr. Okoye is a member of the leadership team for the ISTE Edtech Coaches PLN, and she promotes classroom technology integration as a presenter at local, state, and national conferences.

ISTE is a nonprofit organization comprised of a passionate community of global educators who believe in the power of technology to transform teaching and learning, accelerate innovation, and solve tough problems in education.

For More Information:

The Source for Learning


 


SFL Supports Early Childhood Education Professional Development Opportunities

Connect with Us at These Upcoming Events

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Early Childhood Education Initiatives division (ECEI) is participating in two upcoming early childhood education conferences.

SFL is sponsoring the 2019 Virginia Cross Sector Professional Development Team (VCPD) Regional Summit on May 15, 2019, being held at George Mason University’s Science & Technology Campus in Manassas, Virginia.

In June, SFL’s ECEI division will exhibit at the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) Professional Learning Institute (NAEYC PLI) in Long Beach, California, June 2-4, 2019.

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education Division

The Source for Learning


SFL Announces K-12 Professional Learning Opportunities

Spring 2019 Lineup

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K-12 program launches its Spring 2019 professional learning workshop series, OK2Ask®, on Tuesday, April 2nd. Enhance your edtech expertise while learning about trending topics.

This three-month schedule features nine (9) live, highly participatory, virtual professional learning webinars; the offering is further complemented by bi-monthly Twitter Chats, #OK2Ask, and SFL’s TeachersFirst Blog, Infusing Technology.

OK2Ask sessions are held Tuesday evenings through June 4th on a first-come, first-served basis. Participate in OK2Ask alongside SFL’s edtech coaches as you earn PD credit online.

For More Information:

OK2Ask

TeachersFirst

The Source for Learning


SFL’s Early Childhood Education Division Kicks Off Spring 2019 Conference Season


The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Early Childhood Education division will be attending and presenting at several of the country’s leading early childhood education events this spring:

  • Southern Early Childhood Association (SECA) Conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, February 28 – March 2, 2019.
  • Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children (VAAEYC) Annual Conference will be held in Roanoke, Virginia, March 14-15, 2019.
  • Join us at Booth #12 for an info session about our Administrator Professional Credential, and meet our instructor. A joint offering between The Source for Learning and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), the Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Professional Credential (VA-ECAP) is a one-of-a-kind credential, NAEYC recognized, and the first to be offered in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
  • George Mason University Child Development Center’s 2019 Professional Development Day will be held at the George Mason University Campus in Fairfax, Virginia on Saturday, March 23, 2019.

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education Division

Administrator Credential [A joint offering with Northern Virginia Community College]

Professional Learning Webinars

The Source for Learning


Connect with Us at Upcoming EdTech Conferences

SFL’s K12 Team Kicks Off 2019 Schedule

The Source for Learning’s K12 team will be presenting, exhibiting and sponsoring at various upcoming education technology conferences to include the Future of Education Technology (FETC) in Orlando, Florida, January 27-30, 2019 and the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo & Conference (PETE&C) in Hershey, Pennsylvania, February 10-13, 2019.

Swing by and see us at FETC, Booth #2437.

For More Information:

The Source for Learning

TeachersFirst

OK2Ask

MySciLife


SFL Announces New K-12 Professional Learning Opportunities

Winter 2019 OK2Ask® Lineup

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K-12 program kicks off its Winter 2019 professional learning workshop series, OK2Ask, on Tuesday, January 15th. Learn about trending topics while enhancing your edtech expertise. The three-month schedule features six (6) live, highly participatory, virtual professional learning webinars. Participate alongside SFL’s edtech coaches as you earn PD credit online. Sessions are held on Tuesday evenings through March 12th on a first-come, first-served basis.

For More Information:

Learn More About OK2Ask

Learn More about SFL


Virginia Educators Surf the Digital Wave in Virginia Beach

SFL Participates in Annual Technology in Education Conference

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K-12 Division will present and exhibit at the Virginia Society of Technology in Education (VSTE) annual conference, December 2-4, 2018 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. This year’s conference features three days of presentations, hands-on sessions, hundreds of exhibitors and countless networking opportunities for 1,000+ attendees. SFL is also a VSTE Corporate Partner.

For More Information:

TeachersFirst

OK2Ask

MySciLife

The Source for Learning


Thousands of ECE Professionals Converge on Washington, DC

SFL’s Early Childhood Education Division Exhibits at NAEYC Annual Conference

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Early Childhood Education team will be exhibiting at the
National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) 2018 Annual NAEYC
Conference
being held in Washington, DC, November 14-17, 2018.

The NAEYC Annual Conference is one of the largest early childhood education conferences in
the world, bringing together thousands of teachers, program administrators, students, and
researchers to attend – and experience - 600+ innovative sessions and hundreds of exhibits.

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education Division

Administrator Credential [A joint offering with Northern Virginia Community College]

Professional Learning Webinars

The Source for Learning


Virginia Science Educators Explore Innovative Social Learning Platform Designed to Generate Student Interest in Science

SFL’s K12 Team Exhibits at VAST Conference in Williamsburg

The Source for Learning (SFL) will present MySciLife® while exhibiting at the Virginia Association of Science Teachers PDI (VAST), in Williamsburg, Virginia, November 15-17, 2018. The conference is expected to draw more than 2,000 attendees from across the Commonwealth.

MySciLife is a safe, social learning platform where students LIVE science through the creation of identities and LEARN science through research, collaboration, and technology use. Through teacher guided exchanges and prompts, students personify science concepts maintaining their identities through meaningful interactions with fellow students. Additional attributes include:

  • Safe (COPPA Compliant) social learning platform
  • Resource library is aligned to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
  • Reinforces any curriculum

As featured in the National Science Teachers Association’s (NSTA) Science Scope magazine, this unique resource was created for teachers, by teachers.

Hear a first-hand classroom account about MySciLife

MySciLife is brought to you by The Source for Learning – a nonprofit organization that has been providing educational resources for almost 40 years.

For More Information:

MySciLife

TeachersFirst

The Source for Learning


SFL’s Thought Leaders Are on the Speaker Circuit This Fall

Presenting at National Early Childhood & K-12 Education Conferences

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Early Childhood Education (ECE) and K-12 programs are presenting at various education conferences throughout this fall.

ECE is presenting at the Association for the Education of Young Children’s (TX AEYC), the Texas affiliate of the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) annual conference, being held in Galveston, Texas, October 11-13, 2018 and at Raising the Bar, a conference being hosted by the Southeastern Chapter of the Virginia Association for Early Childhood Education’s (VaAEYC) & Children’s Harbor, in Norfolk, Virginia, October 20, 2018.

SFL’s ECE team will also be exhibiting at NAEYC’s 2018 Annual Conference being held in Washington, D.C., November 14-17, 2018.

SFL’s K-12 program is presenting at the Virginia Society of Technology in Education’s (VSTE) LeadingED Forum 2018 in Culpepper, Virginia, October 8-9, 2018. SFL will also present and exhibit at VSTE’s annual conference, December 2-4, 2018, in Virginia Beach.

For More Information:

The Source for Learning

SFL Early Childhood Education Initiatives

TeachersFirst

OK2Ask


SFL Announces Virtual Learning Opportunities

K-12 OK2Ask® Professional Learning Series

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K-12 program kicks off its Fall 2018 professional learning
workshop series, OK2Ask, on Tuesday, September 18 th . The three-month schedule features
nine (9) free hands-on webinars, including four (4) new trending topics. Participate with SFL’s
edtech coaches as you earn professional development hours and extend your edtech
expertise. Weekly sessions are held on Tuesday evenings through November 20, 2018 on a first-
come, first-served basis.

For more information:

Learn More About OK2Ask

Learn More about SFL


SFL K12 Staff Honored with The President's Volunteer Service Award


The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K-12 program staff, Ruth Okoye, Ed.D., K12 Director and Melissa Henning, M.Ed., Educational Content Manager, were presented with The President’s Volunteer Service Award at the International Society for Technology in Education’s (ISTE) recent annual meeting, held in Chicago.

The President’s Volunteer Service Award is an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and is administered by Points of Light. Through a shared mission of inspiring more to answer the call to service, the President's Volunteer Service Award celebrates the impact we can all make in bettering our communities and our world.

Both Dr. Okoye and Ms. Henning were recognized at ISTE, the award’s certifying organization, as a result of their dedication and volunteer efforts over the past year to include their active participation as Edtech Coaches within ISTE’s professional learning network.

For More Information:

The Source for Learning


The Source for Learning Continues to Support Early Childhood Professionals in its Home State of Virginia

Registration Now Open for Fall 2018 Session - Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Professional Credential (VA-ECAP)

The Source for Learning (SFL), in a joint offering with the Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), continues to offer the state’s first and only administrator credentialing program for early childhood professionals - the Virginia Early Childhood Administrator Professional Credential (VA-ECAP).

The online credentialing program complies with Virginia’s child care licensing management training requirements and is also recognized by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Registration is open through August 25th; classes begin the week of September 4, 2018.

For More Information:

VA-ECAP Overview

Scholarship Resources

Apply

The Source for Learning


SFL Announces Summer EdTech Schedule, Featuring OK2Ask® Workshops


The Source for Learning’s (SFL) K-12 program recently announced its 2018 Sweet Summer EdTech offerings featuring OK2Ask, a series of free, live, online professional learning workshops in support of enhancing technology integration and student engagement in the classroom. This virtual summer series, delivered by experienced educators and EdTech coaches, provides quality hands-on discovery and practice. All OK2Ask sessions are correlated with the International Society for Technology in Education’s (ISTE) Standards for Educators.

SFL’s K-12 staff is also integrating a Book Study and bi-weekly Twitter Chats as part of its Sweet Summer EdTech offerings.

For More Information:
2018 Sweet Summer EdTech
OK2Ask
TeachersFirst
The Source for Learning


SFL’s Thought Leaders Are on the Speaker Circuit This Summer

Presenting at National Early Childhood & K-12 Education Conferences

The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Early Childhood Education and K-12 programs are presenting at various education conferences this summer.

SFL’s ECE program is presenting at the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s
(NAEYC) 2018 Professional Learning Institute
in Austin, Texas, June 10-13, 2018. SFL is also a proud
silver sponsor of the conference.

SFL’s K12 program is presenting at the Virginia Society of Technology in Education’s (VSTE),
LearnerPalooza 2018
, a regional VSTE conference, in Middletown, Virginia, June 19, 2018. SFL is a VSTE Corporate Council member.

SFL’s K12 program is also presenting eight sessions at the International Society for Technology in
Education (ISTE) 2018 Conference & Expo
in Chicago, Illinois, June 24-27, 2018.

As an annual partner of ISTE’s EdTech Coaches Professional Learning Network (PLN), SFL’s K12 team is hosting this year’s EdTech Coaches Playground, a highly participatory and collaborative demonstration experience for conference attendees.

For More Information:

The Source for Learning

SFL Early Childhood Education Program

TeachersFirst

OK2Ask


SFL’s Early Childhood Education Program Presents at National Education Leaders Conference


The Source for Learning’s (SFL) Early Childhood Education Initiatives program (ECEI) is presenting at the Association for Early Learning Leaders’ (AELL) 34th Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida on April 26, 2018.

For More Information:

SFL Early Childhood Education Program

The Source for Learning